Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (2024)

Orange and Cardamom Muffins ~ delicately fragrant muffins flavored with bright orange zest and warm, spicy cardamom, this easy muffin recipe is unique and delicious!

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (1)

For a quick, easy, comforting breakfast, nothing beats my homemade orange and cardamom muffin recipe!

Is anybody making muffins anymore? It seems like they’ve totally gone out of fashion, right? But every time I make a batch I’m reminded of why I love them. These orange and cardamom muffins bake up so nice and tall, with a sugary crust on top, how could you resist? I don’t know why I thought of combining citrus with cardamom, I don’t think I’ve done it on the blog before, but boy, it’s so perfect. Neither taste is overpowering but they blend beautifully. The aroma is especially great when they’re just out of the oven, Definitely going to use this combo again!

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (2)

You know I love my one bowl no-mixer recipes

They make baking from scratch so much more do-able. There’s less mess, and less lag time between the inspiration to bake and your first bite. Just grab your bowl and a whisk and you’re off to the races.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (3)

A plain muffin needs a little something something on the top, right?

I used my favorite Sparkling Sugar to add a little glitz and a sweet crunch. Less homey, more coffee shop. You could use regular sugar if that’s all you’ve got, but sparkling sugar has a bigger crystal and a great texture. I recommend picking some up from Amazon.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (4)

Muffins are nice to have around because they’re already pre-portioned and they keep well. Pop day old muffins in the micro for 20 seconds to revive that amazing aroma. They’re special enough for office potluck parties, especially in winter when a cozy muffin is everything.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (5)

One of the saving graces of deep winter is all the juicy citrus that comes into season.

It’s surprising how many different ways you can incorporate citrus into baking. In this recipe I use the juice and zest of the orange, but it’s the zest that really brings the orange flavor home. The outer orange colored part of the peel, or the zest, contains the flavor and aroma oils, which provide the true essence of the fruit flavor. The more you use, the more flavor payoff you’ll get.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (6)

How to zest an orange

  • The zest of citrus fruit is the very outer part of the peel…the part that is colored.
  • When you zest citrus fruit you are looking to remove just that outer colored part, with as little as possible of the white part underneath, which is bitter.
  • I highly recommend using a citrus zester, which is a tool specifically created to do the job.
  • Be sure to zest your fruit before cutting or juicing!
  • Zest your fruit as close to adding it to your recipe as possible, because the oils start to dissipate quickly.
Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (7)

More wintery breakfast ideas ~

  • Warm Maple Oat Nut Smoothie
  • Fresh Tangerine Scones
  • Homemade Chicken Apple Sausage
  • Fresh Ginger and Pear Cake

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (8)

Orange and Cardamom Muffins

Orange and Cardamom Muffins ~ delicately fragrant muffins flavored with bright orange zest and warm, spicy cardamom, this easy muffin recipe is unique and delicious!

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Prep Time:10 minutes minutes

Cook Time:20 minutes minutes

Total Time:30 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 muffins

Equipment

  • standard muffin pan

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

Topping

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F and butter a muffin tin, or line with muffin tin liners.

  • Whisk together all the wet ingredients well.

  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then add to the wet ingredients and fold everything together until there are no dry bits of flour left.

  • Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins, and top with a sprinkling of the sparkling sugar.

  • Bake for 20-22 minutes until risen and starting to turn golden brown around the edges. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out without wet batter clinging to it.

NEW FEATURE! Click here to add your own private notes.

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: breakfast, cardamom, citrus, muffins, orange, snack

Nutrition

Calories: 270 kcal · Carbohydrates: 36 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 12 g · Saturated Fat: 2 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 7 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 34 mg · Sodium: 190 mg · Potassium: 151 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 16 g · Vitamin A: 80 IU · Vitamin C: 3 mg · Calcium: 59 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did You Make This?We love seeing what you’ve made! Tag us on social media at @theviewfromgreatisland for a chance to be featured.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (9)
Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist muffins? ›

How to Make Homemade Muffins Moist: Our Top Tips
  1. Tips to Make Homemade Muffins Moist.
  2. Keep Wet and Dry Ingredients Separately.
  3. Add All Flavorings Last.
  4. Consider Paper Liners.
  5. Don't Overfill the Muffin Cups.
  6. Check the Temperature of Your Oven.
  7. Test if Muffins Are Fully Cooked.
  8. Top Your Muffins with Flavor.
Aug 9, 2021

What is the secret to high muffins? ›

Chilling your muffin batter overnight in the fridge is the BEST thing you can do for amazing muffins. It makes them more moist, tender, and TALLER! It's very similar to chilling cookie dough, which if you know me you know I'm obsessed with chilling cookie dough.

What is the most important rule to follow when baking muffins? ›

The number one rule for successful muffins is: Don't over-mix the batter. Use a rubber spatula to quickly fold (gently stir) the liquid ingredients into the dry ones. A few streaks of flour still showing is okay, especially if you plan to add in extra ingredients like fruits and nuts.

Is it better to use oil or butter in muffins? ›

Oil & Butter: Oil produces a moist, tender muffin. Combine with melted butter for extra fat, moisture, and a little flavor. Milk: Milk adds plenty of moisture and lightens up the crumb.

What is the best flour for muffins? ›

Self-Rising Flour: Flour to which baking powder and salt have been added during milling. Long a Southern staple, self-rising flour is generally made from the low-protein wheat traditionally grown in the South. It's best for tender biscuits, muffins, pancakes and some cakes.

What does adding an extra egg do to muffins? ›

If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe.

What ingredient prevents muffins from falling apart? ›

How do you keep muffins from falling apart? It's gluten. See, to a baker, gluten holds the whole world together.

How do you keep muffins moist and fluffy? ›

The Best Way to Store Muffins
  1. STEP ONE: Let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack.
  2. STEP TWO: Line an airtight storage container with paper towels.
  3. STEP THREE: Place muffins in the container, on top of the paper towels.
  4. STEP FOUR: Place an additional paper towel layer on top of the muffins.

Should I bake muffins at 350 or 375? ›

Ideal Muffin Cooking Temperature

That being said, the standard oven temperature for baking desserts like quick breads and muffins is commonly set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Setting your oven to this temperature will almost always produce a well-cooked muffin recipe.

What is the most common flaw when baking muffins? ›

Overmixing is a common problem with muffins. First combine dry ingredients, mixing well. Then combine liquid ingredients, mixing well. Finally combine dry and wet ingredients, by hand, using only 15 to 20 light strokes.

Should muffin batter be thick or runny? ›

Depending on what ingredients you're using, the batter will range from runny (like thin cake batter) to very thick (like drop-cookie dough). As a general rule, the thinner the batter, the lighter the muffins will be when baked. But don't be afraid to bake thick, gloppy batter.

Should you let muffin batter rest? ›

Quickbreads and muffins are hydrating batters, which means the flour absorbs the liquid over time, resulting in a very moist muffin, and improving the flavor. So let your muffin batter rest, up to 24 hours if possible.

What makes muffins unhealthy? ›

White flour and usually even more sugar. The body breaks-down these refined carbohydrates in a flash, leading to a rapid rise in blood sugar and insulin, followed by a rapid drop, and an all-too-quick return of the hunger pangs that led you to eat that muffin in the first place.

What makes a good muffin? ›

10 tips for perfect muffins
  1. Mix wet and dry separately. To prevent the mix from being overworked, first mix the wet ingredients together in one bowl and mix the dry ingredients in another. ...
  2. Don't over stir. ...
  3. Add your flavours last. ...
  4. Line the pan. ...
  5. Use an ice cream scoop. ...
  6. Don't overfill. ...
  7. Add a flavourful sprinkle. ...
  8. Fill up the pan.

How do you keep homemade muffins moist? ›

The Best Way to Store Muffins
  1. STEP ONE: Let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack.
  2. STEP TWO: Line an airtight storage container with paper towels.
  3. STEP THREE: Place muffins in the container, on top of the paper towels.
  4. STEP FOUR: Place an additional paper towel layer on top of the muffins.

How do you moisten baked muffins? ›

First, prick the muffin tops all over with a toothpick. Next, pour your liquid of choice (e.g., milk or fruit juice) into a bowl, dip a pastry brush into it, and brush the tops of the muffins. The liquid will seep into the muffin's interior, soaking the crumb and softening the muffins, turning them as good as new.

What makes muffins not dry? ›

For baking you need to use a product that is a minimum of 70% fat. Spreads with less fat contain more water, resulting in dry, less tender muffins. Remember that one stick of butter or margarine is equal to 1/2 cup and not 1 cup. If you confused the two, you will be cutting the amount of fat used by half.

How to get domed muffins? ›

According to O. Corriher, the way to get a perfectly puffed up dome on your muffins is to increase your oven heat. She says that 400° should do it, no matter what the recipe says. The higher baking temperature means that the the outside edges of the muffin will set while the middle is still liquidy.

References

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